Shloka 7
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
भीष्मजीने कहा--दूसरोंको मान देनेवाले महाराज! भरतनन्दन! पहले इन्द्रप्रस्थमें (राजसूययज्ञके समय) भाइयोंसहित तुम्हारी वैसी अदभुत श्री-सम्पत्ति
bhīṣma uvāca—parān mānayitā rājan bharatanandana! pūrvam indraprasthe rājasūyayajñasamaye bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ tava tādṛśīm adbhutāṃ śrī-sampattiṃ, sā parama-uttamā sabhāṃ ca samṛddhiṃ ca dṛṣṭvā santapto duryodhanaḥ kaurava-sabhāyāṃ niṣaṇṇaḥ pituḥ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya gāḍhāṃ cintāṃ prakaṭayām āsa—sarvāṃ manovyathāṃ kathayām āsa. sabhāyāṃ sa yad avadat tat sarvaṃ śṛṇu. śrutvā hi dhṛtarāṣṭro duryodhana-vacas tadā, abravīt karṇa-sahitaṃ duryodhanam idaṃ vacaḥ.
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô roi qui sait honorer autrui, ô joie de la lignée des Bharata ! Jadis, à Indraprastha, lors du sacrifice du Rājasūya, Duryodhana fut brûlé au-dedans en voyant ton éclat royal prodigieux avec tes frères — ta salle d’assemblée, la plus excellente, et ta prospérité. Assis dans la cour des Kuru, il révéla à son père Dhritarāṣṭra son inquiétude profonde, mettant à nu toute la torture de son esprit. Écoute maintenant tout ce qu’il dit dans cette assemblée. Car alors Dhritarāṣṭra, ayant entendu les paroles de Duryodhana, s’adressa à Duryodhana — avec Karna — en ces termes.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how envy and wounded pride arise from comparing oneself to another’s prosperity, and how such inner agitation—if indulged—spills into public counsel and political decisions, becoming a seed of wider conflict. It implicitly commends the opposite disposition: honoring others and remaining steady amid others’ success.
Bhishma frames a flashback: after seeing the Pandavas’ grandeur at Indraprastha during the Rajasuya, Duryodhana becomes distressed and, in the Kuru court, confides his anxiety to Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra then responds to Duryodhana in the presence of Karna.